December 2023
WINE OF THE MONTH.
Every month we give a little spotlight time to a hidden treasure, a wine we think you should meet (and hopefully fall in love with). To encourage the introduction, we offer the wine at 25% OFF the bottle price for the given month.
La Farra Prosecco Extra Dry
Veneto, Italy // Reg $17.99 | 25% OFF = $13.49
Italian bubbly made using the Charmat Method. Tangerine, crunchy peach on the nose. Add in apple, pear, citrus on the palate. Good, fresh acidity. Fine bubbles. Great Prosecco.
Happy Holidays! Happy New Year!
JENS’ TOP PICKS
Every month Portalis owner Jens Strecker picks 5-10 wines that he thinks are outstanding … for any reason he chooses. Here are his picks (not in a specific order) made with the holidays in mind.
DeLille Cellars 2022 Chaleur Blanc
Columbia Valley, WA // Reg $48.99 | Mixed Case $39.19
Blend: 69% Sauvignon Blanc/31% Sémillion. 6 months in oak. Complex floral notes on the nose. Spicy. Fresh. Lemon curd, white peach, touch of minerals, tiny note of hay on the palate. Rich mouthfeel. Long finish. Scrumptious.
Rombeau 2020 Le Botaniste Reserve
Côtes de Rousillon Villages, France // Reg $23.99 | Mixed Case $19.19
Blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre. Herbal, earthy, sexy, black raspberries, marionberries, orange rind on the nose. Flavors of black cherries, blackberries, blueberries. Orange rind acidity again on the finish. Medium- to fuller-bodied. Great complexity. Fresh finish. Absolutely amazing wine. "Flowy and free-spirited, yet grounded." —Jens.
Domain Jomain 2020 Puligny-Montrachet
Burgundy, France // Reg $93.99 | Mixed Case $75.19
100% Chardonnay. Fine pear, quince, yellow fleshy plums on the soft, sophisticated nose. Aged on the lees = rich mouthfeel. Creamy lemon AND chalky minerality on the palate... how can that be?! Wonderful, tingly acidity. Crazy long finish. Absolutely stellar wine. Jens: "If I were rich, this would be my house white."
Domaine des Pères de L'Eglise 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Southern Rhône, France // Reg $51.99 | Mixed Case $41.59
Super inviting nose of herbal notes, raspberries, wild strawberries, pebbles. Superb acidity. Black raspberries, black cherries, dark plums. Long, minerally, finish. Fine tannins. Wonderful wine.
Serge Gradassi (right), owner/winemaker, with his son.
Patricia Green 2021 Estate Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley, Oregon // Reg $43.99 | Mixed Case $35.19
100% Pinot Noir. Blueberries, blackberries, earth on the nose. On the palate, black fruit up front, then subtle, delicious orange zest, tangerine on the finish. The finish makes this wine. Absolutely killer. Has ‘Holidays’ written all over it!
Parigot 2018 La Prophète Crémant de Bourgogne Extra Brut
Burgundy, France // Reg $39.99 | Mixed Case $31.99
Vintage Crémant! 50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir. 36 months on the lees. Brioche on the nose. Flavors of citrus, apple, almonds, brioche. Great acidity. Flavorful. Delicious. Great sparkling wine. Tastes like Champagne!
Métier 2021 Red Blend
Columbia Valley, Washington // Reg $23.99 | Mixed Case $19.19
Fun WA blend of Syrah, Cab & Merlot. Blackberries & earth on the nose. Flavors of blackberries, dark plums. Spicy. Good structure on the finish. Good acidity. Medium-body. Great wine for the price!! Made by DeLille Cellars.
Faustino V 2015 Reserva
Rioja, Spain // Reg $24.99 | Mixed Case $19.99
100% Tempranillo. Nose is amazing! Herbal notes of oregano, thyme... followed by cherries & plums. Elegant, well-balanced. Medium-bodied, good acidity, with well-integrated oak, classic from Rioja. Black cherries, blackberries, dark plums. Spicy, peppery, leathery finish. Fun now. Great in 3 years!
Antonio Sanguineti 2021 Morellino di Scansano
Tuscany, Italy // Reg $21.99 | Mixed Case $17.59
Black cherries, black plums, dark earthy tones. Dark plums, black raspberries, black cherries. Pretty darn fruity for Sangiovese. Medium- to full- bodied. Great acidity. Really nice long finish. Way too easy to drink! Can easily age for 3+ years.
John Duval 2021 Entity
Barossa Valley, Australia // Reg $47.99 | Mixed Case $38.39
After almost 30 years at Penfolds, John Duval transformed his family vineyards into a family winery. Pictured above with his son Tim.
“Shiraz sourced from old vineyards in the Barossa (Krondorf, Tanunda, Marananga, Ebenezer and Moppa) and the Eden Valley. Vibrant and pure at heart with deep black plum, black cherry and boysenberry fruits, plentiful exotic spice, violets, licorice and wafts of light cedar and vanillin oak. Impressive fruit depth, sandy tannin support and long, plush finish of spicy black fruits and earth.” 95 points — Dave Brookes, Wine Companion, 10 May 2023
Turley 2021 Old Vines Zinfandel
California // Reg $41.99 | Mixed Case $33.59
Bramble on the nose. Sweet tobacco. Baking spices. All Zin so it has more of this jam quality plus black pepper. Lots of berries. Mulberries. Blackberries. Almost like a pie, but not a sweet one. And not a big wine. Medium- to full. Fantastic acidity! A little black tea at the end and then spicy on the finish. Jens: This wine is phenomenal.